Submarine apparatus for soldering pipe-joints



(No Model.)

, F. RANN.

SUBMARINP: APPARATUS POP SOLDPPING PIPE POINTS.

No. 400,484. Patented Apr. 2, 1889.

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AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK RANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SUBMRINE APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING'PIPE-JOINTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,484, dated April 2, 1.889.

Application filed December 26, 1888. Serial No. 294,572. (No model.)

ATo a/ZZ whom it may concern:

joint While themolten lead is being placed inA and around it.

The object of my invention is to cast pipejoints under water of considerable depth, and

I provide a simple apparatus which, when adjusted, prevents the water from reaching the joint, permits the removal of whatever Water surrounds the same, and permits the molten lead to be lowered from above the surface and automatically discharged down and in to said joint, the apparatus being manipulated by a diver, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which 4 Figure l is a side elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse cen` tral section of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the packing-band of my Y apparatus, showing it applied to a pipe-joint."

Referring to thedrawings, A represents a vertical pipe, which is of suitable length to extend from a convenient point above the suri face of the water to a point just above the plane of the pipe being laid. Screwed onto the lower end of this pipe A is a coupling, a, the lower end of which is stepped to a less diameter, and has screwed into it the upper screw-threaded end of a plug-cock, b. The lower screwthreaded end has a divers nut, B, screwed onto it-that is, a bell-shaped' nut-having a female screw-thread cut in its bow orbarrel. Into the barrel of this nut B is screwed the upper screw-threaded end of a hollow boss, c, the lower anges of which are securely riveted or otherwise secured to the flexible band C. A nipple, fm, screwed into boss c, also assists in holding said band to said boss.` Band C is made of flexible sheet metal and surrounds the pipe-joint, as will hereinafter be moreA fully explained, and its ends d are flanged outward, and are connected by the bolts .and nuts D D. Secured to the lower segment of band C, concentrically with and diametrically opposite boss c, is a plate, e, into which vis screwed a nipple, e', so that vits bore is prefextending Y therefrom concentric with said opening, which opening is closed by a needlevalve, I-I. This valve is of a truncated cone shape, and its seat' is sunk in the bottom of said bucket concentric to said opening. The needle k, appended to said valve, extends downward therefrom' through` the opening and'nozzle. It closes and extends la distance below the nozzle equal to the distance from the bottom of pipe A to about the center of circumference of said band C. A I represents a rubber, leather, or asbestus packing, which is of a suitable thickness, and is placed against the inner surfaces of the band C, with its ends extending between the anged ends of said band. It is also provided with openings in register with and made with reference to the passages in cocks b and E.

K is a packing considerably thicker than packing I, and whereas packingI corresponds in length to that `of the band, packingK is only a little more than half as long, andA is placed inside of packing'l.

The operation of my invent-ion is substantially as follows: The cocks b and E are -turned so as to prevent the water from entering pipeA and from filling the drip-box F. The nuts and bolts I) being relaxed to open the band C and packing I, the bell end of one section of pipe is placed in the band far enough to reach nearly to the transverse plane of the bore of the cocks b and E, and

the small end of the joining section is placed into the opposite end of the band into the bell of the first-mentioned pipe by the diver,D

IOO

so that the water in said pipe, when the two sections are brought together, will not leak through said joint. Packing I having previously been placed in position within the band, it only remains for the diver to place the packing k around the smaller end of the section of pipe within the band, and between the end of the band and the passage of the cocks, as shown in Fig. 3. The band C is then tightened by manipulating the bolts and nuts D, so that the packing closing around said pipe-joint completely excludes the water therefrom. The cocks b and E are then both opened, thus permitting the water inclosed within the band around the pipe-joint to drain therefrom into the drip-box F. After the water has drained into box F, cock E is closed, and the bucket G, having a suicient quantity of molten lead therein, is lowered by a rope or other suitable means into the pipe A. Just before the bucket G reaches the lower end of pipe A, the needle 7c of the valve II in its bottom, and which extends down through the passage of cock b, strikes against the smaller end of the pipe forming the joint, thus lifting said valve H and opening the aperture in the bottom of said bucket, and discharging the molten contents thereof through the passage-way of the cock around and into the pipe-joint. In order to discharge the contents of the bucket G full onto the pipe contiguous to the joint, I screw into and through the central opening of the boss c, so that its lower end j ust about touches the pipe, a nipple, m. The lower end edge of this nipple m has recesses or notches cut into it, so

as to constitute an outlet for the molten metal, and so as to direct it toward the joint. lVhen the hot metal is poured onto the moist pipe, considerable vapor is generated thereby. This is given an outlet by providing the bottom of the bucket with short legs or protuberances projecting from its bottom, thus permitting the vapor to escape through the passage-way of cock b under the bucket and up around the sides of said bucket out of pipe A. After the soldering is done, as hereinbefore explained, the bucket G is raised, cock b closed, the band `is loosened and packing K, and, if need be, packing I also removed, after which a chisel is used to cut oif the metal which may have gravitated into the nipple e', and then the whole apparatus is moved bodily to the next joint, where, after shreds of metal remaining in the casting are removed, the same operation can be repeated.

I do not wish to be confined to the detailed construction hereinbefore fully explained, because it is obvious that it could be changed without materially departing from the spirit of my invention. l

If desired, instead of using the cock E and drip-box F to drain the water from around the pipe-joint after the band has been clamped over it preparatory to soldering, I can use a small hand-pump, which would be in easy reach of the diver, and would be capable of easy manipulation.

lVhat I claim as new isl. The combination, with pipe A, cut-olf cock Z), band C, and packing therein, of the bucket G, having a valve, H, in its bottom, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A pipe, A, cut-off cock connected to its lower end, band C, and packing therein, cutoff cock E, and drip-box F, in combination with a bucket, G, having a valve in its bottom, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Pipe A, a coupling, a, screwed onto its lower end, cut-off cock b, nut B, as described, boss c, band C, and packing therein, in combination with the cock E and drip-box, as set forth.

4. Pipe A, cut-off cock I), nut B, as deL scribed, boss c, band C, and packing therein, in combination with the cockE and drip-box, as set forth.

5. Pipe A, cut-off cock b, nut B, as described, boss c, a nipple having its lower end edges serrated, and band C, in combination with cock E and drip-box, as set forth.

6. The combination, with pipe A, cock b, band C, and packing I and K therein, as described, of the cock E and the box F, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of pipe A, cock b, band C, and packing therefor, said band having an opening therein for draining therefrom the water which is inclosed in said band when it covers and is clamped around a pipe-joint, as and for the purpose set forth.

FRANK RANN.

Witnesses:

FRANK D. THoMAsoN, J. s. MCCLURE. 

